City Of Gold

City Of Gold is an 2015 documentary about food critic Jonathan Gold, based in the Los Angeles area. The movie was released this past weekend and I was able to catch it with my whole family at the Archlight in Hollywood. We than headed out the SGV for some dumplings.

The movie is an ode to the contribution of Jonathan Gold to the profession of food criticism. In 2007, Gold won the Pulitzer Prize, considered an honor in the writing world. The movie follows Jonathan around the city as he eats at some of his favorite places and his daily routines. It really is a delicate look at a man that helped put LA food on the map. From his family life to his work to his down time. You get to see a bit of everything. The movie also covers the process that he has to review a restaurant and talks about what the value of professionals are still in the day and age of Yelp and food bloggers. The last scene of the move is during the end credits, showing Gold and his family making a meal and eating it in their back yard.

This movie was pretty awesome. I like Jonathan Gold, as a native to the Las Angeles area, I've eaten at many of the places he reviews. But I also eat at a lot more of places he doesn't review. But my impression of Gold is that he respects the diversity of LA and the vast number of immigrants that have brought a bit of their food with them. When I encounter a serious food person from outside of LA, Gold helps make the argument that LA legit.

It's not a perfect film, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. I think the movie is an ode to the city of LA as much as it to its main food champion, Jonathan Gold.